The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

of sons was born to Somaka begotten on all those women.
And, O monarch of the earth! Jantu became the
eldest and was born of his former mother and he became
the most beloved to the women,—­not so were
their own sons. And on his back there was that
mark of gold and of that century of sons, he was also
superior in merit. Then that family priest of
Somaka departed this life as also Somaka after a certain
time. Now he beheld that the priest was being
grilled in a terrible hell. And thereupon he questioned
him, ’Why art thou, O Brahmana! being grilled
in this hell?” Then the family priest exceedingly
scorched with fire, spake to him saying, ’This
is the outcome of my having officiated in that sacrifice
of thine.’ O king, hearing this, the saintly
king thus spake to the god who meteth out punishments
to departed souls, ’I shall enter here.
Set free my officiating priest; this reversed man
is being grilled by hell-fire on my account only.’

“Dharmaraja thereat answered thus, ’One
cannot enjoy or suffer for another person’s
acts. O best of speakers! these are the fruits
of thy acts; see it here.’

“Somaka said, ’Without this Brahmana here,
I desire not go to the blessed regions. My desire
is to dwell in company with this very man, either in
the abode of the gods, or in hell, for, O Dharmaraja!
my deed is identical with what hath been done by him
and the fruit of our virtuous or evil deed must be
the same for both of us.’

“Dharmaraja said, ’O king! If this
is thy wish, then taste with him the fruit of that
act, for the same period that he must do. After
that thou shall go to the blessed regions.’

“Lomasa said, The lotus-eyed king did all that
exactly in the way prescribed to him. And when
his sins were worked off, he was set free together
with the priest. O king! Fond of the priest
as he was, he won all those blessings to which he
had entitled himself by his meritorious acts and shared
everything with the family priest. This is his
hermitage which looketh lovely before our eyes.
Any one would attain the blessed regions, if he should
spend six nights here controlling his passions.
O king of kings! O leader of the tribe of Kurus!
Here, free from excitement and self-controlled, we
must spend six nights. Be thou ready therefor.’”

SECTION CXXIX

“Lomasa said, ’Here, O king! The
lord of born beings himself performed a sacrifice
in former times,—­the ceremony called Ishtikrita,
which occupied one thousand years. And Amvarisha,
son of Nabhaga, sacrificed near the Yamuna river.
And having sacrificed there, he gave away ten Padmas
(of gold coins) to the attendant priests, and he obtained
the highest success by his sacrifices and austerities.
And, O Kunti’s son! This is the spot where
that sovereign of the entire earth, Nahusha’s
son, Yayati, of unmeasured force, and who led a holy
life, performed his sacrificial rites. He competed